Wendy Greenland, CEO of Openforce<\/a>, was joined by Jackie McManus, founder and CEO of KJ Media, Katie Love, marketing manager at Workhound<\/a>, Tom Gennarelli, VP of trucking and transportation at Timber Products Company<\/a>, and Nate Tellis, co-founder and CTO of RocketCDL<\/a>, in a Women in Trucking Association (WIT) Accelerate!<\/a> webinar to discuss best practices in retaining women in the workforce.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest thing we look at when we work with trucking companies is what\u2019s beyond the black and white of the job description,\u201d McManus explained. \u201cWhat\u2019s the overall culture of the company? It starts with leadership and trickles down to how recruiters talk to drivers. We find the first 60 seconds is when a driver connects or doesn\u2019t connect with the recruiter. Will drivers feel valued at the company? It\u2019s the gray area that makes the overall connection\u2014not the black and white.\u201d<\/p>\n RocketCDL’s Tellis noted that people in the transportation industry are leaving for jobs that are more competitive. \u201cWhether in regards to amenities in the office, time at home, benefits, transitioning to online operations, etc., companies have to stay competitive,\u201d Tellis urged.<\/p>\n However, according to Love, pay or culture are not mutually exclusive.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our 2021 analysis, pay represents culture,\u201d Love said. \u201cHow companies understand how pay works, how they communicate pay, helps show cultural norms on how the company works. Driver pay isn\u2019t consistent<\/a>, depending on the type of driver, so companies need to show their employees why they matter.\u201d<\/p>\n Tellis stated that the top reasons women tend to leave are different from men, adding that women care more about safety, orientation prep, and recognition instead of more time at home, as many like to assume.<\/p>\n \u201cNew equipment matters to female drivers as newer equipment tends to be safer,\u201d Tellis said. \u201cWomen like to feel like they are part of the company and part of the recruiting process, so being closer to operations helps retention, too. Female drivers are networked with other female drivers. And while people love cash advances for referrals, going beyond cash can be more personal, such as gift cards to retail stores, personalized gifts, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n For almost everyone in trucking, life is permanently changed after the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, how is that impacting driver retention for women?<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw a distinct difference in how drivers talked about home time,\u201d Love said. \u201cBefore, home time was important\u2014now it\u2019s critical. A deeper, more consistent stream of communication is needed. In 2020, truckers were called essential workers\u2014that\u2019s now a burnt-out term. In its place, there\u2019s a deeper feeling of empathy where people are asking, ‘How can I help?’ and leaders are stepping up and getting it done.\u201d<\/p>\n From the dispatcher perspective<\/a>, Gennarelli reported that day-to-day operations have been very challenging over the last year and a half.<\/p>\n \u201cAccommodating to the needs of dispatchers, regarding social distancing to protect themselves and family members while making sure that drivers are being taken care of has proven to be a challenge,\u201d Gennarelli said. \u201cKudos to everyone out there making it work because it is not easy.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Love, there\u2019s a mental toll between drivers and dispatchers<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the stigma against mental health, where should drivers turn?\u201d Love suggested. \u201cKeeping communication lines open beyond when dispatchers need something or whenever something is wrong will help keep that relationship positive instead of negative.\u201d<\/p>\n In the TP Logistics division at Timber Products, Gennarelli drives culture and safety<\/a>. \u201cThose two combined are critical in keeping women in the workforce,\u201d he said. \u201cTo take care of that driver, look out for them, and make them feel part of the family\u2014that\u2019s critical. From panic buttons inside the cab to security cameras, etc. provide an extra level of safety. Because they feel safer, they want to perform for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Even simple things like a washer and dryer. Someone recently asked Gennarelli why they can\u2019t have a washer dryer in the driver room? \u201cNo one asked us that for 20-plus years, and now we\u2019re putting one in,\u201d he said. \u201cBeing honest on [internal] surveys tells companies exactly what drivers need.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt Workhound, we don\u2019t provide demographics data because our work is anonymous,\u201d Love explained. \u201cFor female drivers, what makes them stay seems to be a combo of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. For example, having female restrooms and amenities help them feel represented.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, there\u2019s a bit more autonomy for a 1099 worker,\u201d Love explained. \u201cWhere I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1099 workers are looking for more opportunities to keep money coming in whether it\u2019s Uber or Lyft or even an Amazon fulfillment center that pays more and consistently.\u201d<\/p>\n To Gennarelli, the three Rs when it comes to employees are retention, recruiting, and recognition. \u201cEveryone has to own that\u2014from management on down. Once you buy in, you are a part of the family. Open the door to communication. Being accessible for discussion helps women feel a part of something.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also offer great benefits,\u201d Gennarelli added. \u201cOur equipment turns over every four to five years, we have satellite TV in the cab as well as a microwave<\/a>, and we allow pets of all kinds. Have a lizard? That lizard can go on the road. We also recognize birthdays, anniversaries, achievements, etc., as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSocial media is such a powerful tool,\u201d McManus said. \u201cBy embracing the digital world, such as Facebook, where people are connecting with friends, family, coworkers, etc., you can reach so many more potential employees. Drivers tag their passive friends in digital ads to opportunities in trucking. If you have young female workers in your company, survey them to find out why they like working for you. Hearing it from them directly to build future recruiting strategies can allow you to create specific marketing collateral to each type of target audience.\u201d<\/p>\n Tellis noted that drivers like to be able to envision themselves working at a company. If companies can use their drivers in their marketing collateral, they can help bridge that gap. \u201cTap into existing social networks,\u201d he suggested. \u201cPotential new employees are more willing to trust current employees more so than recruiters.\u201d<\/p>\n According to McManus, TikTok has risen as a competitive network to reach drivers and females. \u201cFacebook groups are really resourceful with the number of active members,\u201d McManus added. \u201cThe forums, which can include thousands to hundreds of thousands of women, are inclusive and valuable to any recruitment process. Women like companies who do good things, so utilize social media to share stories of the good things that are happening in your company.<\/p>\n \u201cCulture and inclusivity<\/a> in the organization but also in the industry is vital,\u201d McManus continued. \u201cWIT is a great example of collecting all females in every aspect of the industry, from executives, drivers, technicians, etc. and bridging the gap. By having more conversations like these, now is the time to reach younger people to show them the inclusive culture of the industry to create and keep the next generation of truckers.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By Catharine Conway<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nWhy do women leave?<\/h3>\n
Pre- versus post-COVID<\/h3>\n
How to create the right culture<\/h3>\n
Recruiting the younger generation of women<\/h3>\n
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